diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/shared-components/search-bar/search-bar.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/shared-components/search-bar/search-bar.svelte
index d92bd1806c..9f7635572d 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/shared-components/search-bar/search-bar.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/shared-components/search-bar/search-bar.svelte
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
   let showFilter = $state(false);
   let isSearchSuggestions = $state(false);
   let selectedId: string | undefined = $state();
+  let isFocus = $state(false);
 
   const listboxId = generateId();
 
@@ -98,7 +99,25 @@
   };
 
   const onSubmit = () => {
-    handlePromiseError(handleSearch({ query: value }));
+    const searchType = getSearchType();
+    let payload: SmartSearchDto | MetadataSearchDto = {} as SmartSearchDto | MetadataSearchDto;
+
+    switch (searchType) {
+      case 'smart': {
+        payload = { query: value } as SmartSearchDto;
+        break;
+      }
+      case 'metadata': {
+        payload = { originalFileName: value } as MetadataSearchDto;
+        break;
+      }
+      case 'description': {
+        payload = { description: value } as MetadataSearchDto;
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+
+    handlePromiseError(handleSearch(payload));
     saveSearchTerm(value);
   };
 
@@ -132,10 +151,12 @@
 
   const openDropdown = () => {
     showSuggestions = true;
+    isFocus = true;
   };
 
   const closeDropdown = () => {
     showSuggestions = false;
+    isFocus = false;
     searchHistoryBox?.clearSelection();
   };
 
@@ -143,6 +164,26 @@
     event.preventDefault();
     onSubmit();
   };
+
+  function getSearchType(): 'smart' | 'metadata' | 'description' {
+    const t = localStorage.getItem('searchQueryType');
+    return t === 'smart' || t === 'description' ? t : 'metadata';
+  }
+
+  function getSearchTypeText(): string {
+    const searchType = getSearchType();
+    switch (searchType) {
+      case 'smart': {
+        return $t('context');
+      }
+      case 'metadata': {
+        return $t('filename');
+      }
+      case 'description': {
+        return $t('description');
+      }
+    }
+  }
 </script>
 
 <svelte:window
@@ -214,6 +255,21 @@
     <div class="absolute inset-y-0 {showClearIcon ? 'right-14' : 'right-2'} flex items-center pl-6 transition-all">
       <CircleIconButton title={$t('show_search_options')} icon={mdiTune} onclick={onFilterClick} size="20" />
     </div>
+
+    {#if isFocus}
+      <div
+        class="absolute inset-y-0 flex items-center"
+        class:right-16={isFocus}
+        class:right-28={isFocus && value.length > 0}
+      >
+        <p
+          class="bg-immich-primary text-white dark:bg-immich-dark-primary/90 dark:text-black/75 rounded-full px-3 py-1 text-xs z-10"
+        >
+          {getSearchTypeText()}
+        </p>
+      </div>
+    {/if}
+
     {#if showClearIcon}
       <div class="absolute inset-y-0 right-0 flex items-center pr-2">
         <CircleIconButton onclick={onClear} icon={mdiClose} title={$t('clear')} size="20" />
diff --git a/web/src/lib/components/shared-components/search-bar/search-filter-modal.svelte b/web/src/lib/components/shared-components/search-bar/search-filter-modal.svelte
index f37894a3e2..576c1af540 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/components/shared-components/search-bar/search-filter-modal.svelte
+++ b/web/src/lib/components/shared-components/search-bar/search-filter-modal.svelte
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   import type { SearchLocationFilter } from './search-location-section.svelte';
   import type { SearchDisplayFilters } from './search-display-section.svelte';
   import type { SearchDateFilter } from './search-date-section.svelte';
-  import { MediaType } from '$lib/constants';
+  import { MediaType, QueryType, validQueryTypes } from '$lib/constants';
 
   export type SearchFilter = {
     query: string;
@@ -55,9 +55,18 @@
     return value === null ? undefined : value;
   }
 
+  function storeQueryType(type: SearchFilter['queryType']) {
+    localStorage.setItem('searchQueryType', type);
+  }
+
+  function defaultQueryType(): QueryType {
+    const storedQueryType = localStorage.getItem('searchQueryType') as QueryType;
+    return validQueryTypes.has(storedQueryType) ? storedQueryType : QueryType.SMART;
+  }
+
   let filter: SearchFilter = $state({
     query: 'query' in searchQuery ? searchQuery.query : searchQuery.originalFileName || '',
-    queryType: 'smart',
+    queryType: defaultQueryType(),
     personIds: new SvelteSet('personIds' in searchQuery ? searchQuery.personIds : []),
     tagIds: new SvelteSet('tagIds' in searchQuery ? searchQuery.tagIds : []),
     location: {
@@ -90,7 +99,7 @@
   const resetForm = () => {
     filter = {
       query: '',
-      queryType: 'smart',
+      queryType: defaultQueryType(), // retain from localStorage or default
       personIds: new SvelteSet(),
       tagIds: new SvelteSet(),
       location: {},
@@ -142,8 +151,14 @@
 
   const onsubmit = (event: Event) => {
     event.preventDefault();
+    storeQueryType(filter.queryType);
     search();
   };
+
+  // Will be called whenever queryType changes, not just onsubmit.
+  $effect(() => {
+    storeQueryType(filter.queryType);
+  });
 </script>
 
 <FullScreenModal icon={mdiTune} width="extra-wide" title={$t('search_options')} {onClose}>
diff --git a/web/src/lib/constants.ts b/web/src/lib/constants.ts
index db04efa5db..b296e49f17 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/constants.ts
+++ b/web/src/lib/constants.ts
@@ -119,6 +119,14 @@ export const fallbackLocale = {
   name: 'English (US)',
 };
 
+export enum QueryType {
+  SMART = 'smart',
+  METADATA = 'metadata',
+  DESCRIPTION = 'description',
+}
+
+export const validQueryTypes = new Set([QueryType.SMART, QueryType.METADATA, QueryType.DESCRIPTION]);
+
 export const locales = [
   { code: 'af-ZA', name: 'Afrikaans (South Africa)' },
   { code: 'sq-AL', name: 'Albanian (Albania)' },